Scotland is bracing itself for major disruption on Thursday when up to 30,000 public sector workers are expected to go on strike to protest against UK government plans for pension reform.
The 24-hour industrial action will hit a number of essential services including the coastguard, tax and benefit officials, court workers and even driving test examiners.
One of the country’s largest trade unions, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), is the only organisation north of the border to take part in the strike.
Across the UK, around 250,000 PCS members will walk out on the same day as civil servants in the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, National Union of Teachers, and University and College Union.
The PCS have organised picket lines outside courts, government buildings and job centres across the country, with a union rally planned for Edinburgh, and a “massive” one for George Square, Glasgow.
Union members are up in arms at the coalition government’s proposals to raise the pension age to 66, increase workers’ contributions and link pension values to the generally lower consumer prices index (CPI) rather than the retail prices index (RPI).
Ministers say the changes are necessary to deal with an ageing population, but unions disagree.
Although the industrial action is not universally backed, especially from the private sector, the PCS argue the move aims to protect jobs, pay and pensions.
Brian Nairn, a union representative for the PCS in Fife, says most of the job centres in the area will be picketed.
“It is a last resort for us,” he said. “There are negotiations ongoing but there is a refusal to budge on key issues. We feel going on strike is the only action we can now take.
“We, the unions, are together on this and hopefully it can be resolved soon as we think it is unfair that the government want us to pay more for our pension to get the country out of its financial mess that we did not cause.”Rescue servicesThere are concerns that strike action will put lives at unnecessary risk with an unknown number of workers at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to walk out. But the organisation stressed rescue operations will continue.
At Fife Ness coastguard station near Crail, which is under threat of closure as the MCA looks to streamline its operation, it is not clear how many civil workers might strike.
The MCA employs 1139 and has 18 co-ordination centres around the UK. Media officer Fred Caygill said they did not know how many staff might take action but stressed they had contingency plans.
RAF Leuchars could also be hit by strike action, with 220 of its 1389 personnel civilian staff.
The PCS say, but have not specified, that a number of its members belonging to the civil arm of the Ministry of Defence are earmarked for action. However, an MoD spokesman said it has “robust” contingency plans available.Scottish CourtsIt was a similar response from the Scottish Court Service also braced for disruption.
The PCS believes there is a “viable economic alternative” to government plans such as collecting £120 billion in avoided, evaded and uncollected tax. They also urge ministers to invest in jobs and public services for growth.
Alan Hinnrichs of the Dundee branch says the government “has attempted to browbeat and bully low-paid workers, firstly by insisting on a de facto pay cut, then saying that public sector workers must pay more for their pensions.”
This view was not shared by Alan Mitchell, chief executive of the Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce.
“The financial problems are such that there needs to be change and I believe the public sector is being naive if it thinks striking will solve anything,” he said.
The full range of PCS members to strike are: benefit officers, tax officers, policy officers, driving examiners, security officers, coastguards, defence staff, court workers, government drivers, clerical officers, finance officers, staff from museums and galleries and Edinburgh castle, and customs and immigration staff.
Neither Dundee City Council nor Perth and Kinross Council expect disruption to services.